The present invention relates generally to electrical connectors and, more particularly, to an electrical connector having an insulating jacket integrally molded from an insulating material.
Electrical connectors of this type are disclosed in Japanese U.M. Patent Application Kokai Nos. 62-106484 and 62-10685. In these electrical connectors, the cylindrical member enclosing an insulating housing which contains contacts is made by bending a thin metal sheet and stamping lug members for engagemen with the insulating housing. The cylindrical member is then subjected to an integral molding to form an insulation jacket thereover.
However, such electrical connectors have the following disadvantages.
Since the cylindrical metal cover is made by stamping a number of lug members from a thin metal sheet and bending the metal sheet in the form of a cylinder, there are gaps at the seam and openings behind the lug members. Consequently, when an insulating jacket and a cable protection are formed by placing the cylindrical metal cover in a metal mold and injecting a plastic, the plastic flows into the metal cover through the seam and openings. The cylindrical metal cover can be deformed under the injection pressure of a plastic. The insulations of conductors can be melted under the heat of the entered plastic causing a short circuit between the wires or a wire and the metal cover. A conductor can even be broken under the pressure of an injected plastic. The plastic can spread into spaces between contacts and apertures of the insulating housing and adhere to the contact section of a contact causing a poor contact.
For electromagnetic interference (EMI) resistant connectors, the shield wires of a cable are soldered to the metal cover in the terminated area or the upper end of the metal cover. During the soldering operation, the insulation of a conductor within the metal cover can be melted under the soldering heat. Then, the insulation is further melted or the wire is broken under the heat and pressure of an injected plastic.